Eight Lectures Upon the History of Jacob, Delivered During Lent, 1828, at the Church of St. Luke, Chelsea (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1852 Excerpt: ... 103 LECTURE V. Genesis xxxin. 4. "AND ESAU RAN TO MEET HIM, AND EMBRACED HIM, AND FELL ON HIS NECK, AND KISSED HIM, AND THEY WEPT." Our last discourse brought us to that period in the history of Jacob, in which, after having seen him making every preparation that prudence could dictate against the hostile approach of his brother, we beheld him committing himself, in humble, fervent prayer to the God of his salvation, spreading before the Lord the anxieties and apprehensions which filled his bosom, and engaged, throughout the live long night, in "weeping and making supplication" until he " had power with God, and prevailed." We are to commence our present observations by endeavouring to trace tbe effect of this prayer, and to behold the manner in which, in answer to Jacob's petitions, the Almighty averted the threatened calamity. Before we enter upon this investigation, we cannot refrain from endeavouring to strengthen those observations upon prayer which formed a prominent feature of our last discourse, by remarking how powerful an inducement is offered to the prayers of the Christian by the consideration, that the Word of God furnishes us with so many instances of answers to the petitions of his people.1 God would have acted with equal justice, and man would have been equally without excuse, had the Bible not recorded a single answer to prayer; had the Almighty contented himself with 1 For a connected view of the answers to prayer, contained in the Scriptures, see a very interesting little work denominated "The Achievements of Prayer." commanding us to pray, and promising to hear us without revealing to us any particular instances in which the command had been obeyed, and the promise fulfilled. What additional obligations then do the injunctions to prayer ...